"We were a beneficial part of this ecosystem," he explained.Ī historian for the tribe estimates there were around 4,000 Aquinnah Wampanoag people at the tribe's peak, though others estimate there were thousands more. Vanderhoop, 67, cherishes stories of days long past when the island's natural cranberry bogs, blueberry bushes, and Sassafras trees were cared for by Aquinnah Wampanoag men, women, and children all over the island. Kevin Devine, 50, lists fire safety best practices during employee training at Sassafras Earth Education. "Right below our feet here, all of these little white flowers with yellow in them – these are all wild strawberries," he said. Striding through wet grass on his 20-acre property, the Aquinnah Wampanoag elder points to remnants of the native plant species that his ancestors relied on for thousands of years. A tour around the 96-square-mile island would almost certainly include scenes of tall lighthouses, sprawling estates with manicured laws, and colorful cottages that can be rented for upwards of $330 a night.īut that's not the island life David Vanderhoop lives or wants. Off the coast of Massachusetts, the island of Martha's Vineyard is bustling with summer tourists packed into beaches, yacht clubs, and restaurants. David Vanderhoop, 67, at Sassafras Earth Education, an indigenous Wampanoag nonprofit that he runs with his wife on Martha's Vineyard, Mass.ĪQUINNAH, Mass.
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